I'll be using an AM transmitter that does not have a built-in compressor. What recommendations do you have for something inexpensive to get my feet wet? Here are my present choices:
- ART Tube MP/C Tube Pre-Amplifier/Opto Compressor-Limiter
- Behringer Xenyx Q502USB
- Homebrew an SSM2166 compressor/limiter (what is inside the AMT transmitters)
Links to the ART Tube and Behringer units
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008879GO8/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I2KPXK57I93P7K&colid=3KGZ3NF3976SQ
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CTKI10A/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I2V94TVYK9LEG1&colid=3KGZ3NF3976SQ
There are hardware audio processors and software audio processors.
Stereo Tool is a very reasonably priced computer audio processor with amazing dexterity.
It comes in various forms, to name a few there is the Stand Alone Version which patches to the audio output streams of your computer, the DPS Plugin Version, and a number of other variants.
The job it does is absolutely comparable to any hardware processor.
The developer, Hans Van Zutphen of Denmark has been commissioned by one or more of the hardware equipment makers to supply copyrighted methods that are employed in those rack-mount units.
I've used various used Symetrix professional compressor/expander/limiter's over the years with good success. My favorite is probably the 421 (mono) - it's widely available, inexpensive (now) and does a great job.
You CAN achieve similar results in software, but make sure you have the processing power to handle it. If you're running automation programs, when they need cycles they REALLY need cycles, and you can run into skipping and other issues if they aren't available (i.e., being used for processing or something else).
You can look at VSTHost along with selected plugins to put minimal loads on your system. I've used the 'Classic' series of free compressors, equalizers, etc. I also use a stereo to mono converter (as when I steam, I stream in mono).
I use a RNC compressor from FMR Audio....works fine for the purpose.
http://www.fmraudio.com/rnc.html